Darder slams 'soft penalties' after Mallorca's dramatic win over Athletic
Mallorca midfielder Sergi Darder questions refereeing consistency following controversial decisions in their thrilling 3-2 victory against Champions League-chasing Athletic Club.
Mallorca midfielder Sergi Darder has called out La Liga’s referees for inconsistency after his side’s dramatic 3-2 win over Athletic Club featured two controversial penalty decisions.
‘Penaltitos’ Controversy
Darder didn’t mince his words after Mallorca’s crucial victory, expressing frustration over what he perceives as shifting standards in penalty decisions.
“They told us that ‘soft penalties’ wouldn’t be given, but they’re giving them,” Darder remarked, clearly peeved about the handball decisions that influenced Saturday’s thriller at Son Moix.
The island side benefited from two penalty calls against Athletic, but Darder’s comments reflect a broader frustration among Spanish clubs about refereeing consistency, particularly with handball interpretations that seem to change weekly.
Vital Three Points
Despite the controversy, this was a massive result for Mallorca, who’ve now given themselves a proper chance to push for the top half of the table. After a couple of disappointing defeats, they’ve bounced back in style against a team with serious Champions League ambitions.
“We couldn’t be happier,” Darder explained. “We’ve improved in many aspects today, though we conceded quite a bit against a Champions League-calibre team.”
The victory didn’t come easy, with Mallorca showing impressive mental fortitude to recover from setbacks during the match.
Personal Renaissance
For Darder himself, the performance marked something of a personal comeback. The Mallorcan native has been refreshingly self-critical about his recent form but showed glimpses of his best qualities against Athletic.
“I’m happy about it. I’m the first to be self-critical and I know I haven’t been at my level,” he admitted. “Today I showed flashes and hope to continue like this.”
Darder credited his maturity for helping him navigate this challenging period, acknowledging he hasn’t been at the races but seeing today’s performance as both an individual and collective reward.
For Mallorca, it’s onwards and upwards as they look to establish themselves as more than just relegation battlers in La Liga. But the debate about those ‘penaltitos’ will rumble on for a few more days yet, you can bet your dog and bone on that.